Lower Elementary

Why choose Maple Tree Montessori for my child’s Elementary School?

Maple Tree Montessori Academy offers Brighton parents a choice of a fully Montessori Elementary Education. Maple Tree Montessori currently enrolls students through the 6th grade and we are the only Private School in Livingston County that offers an Elementary Program that is not parochial or religiously affiliated. We are a registered Private School with the Michigan Department of Education and we provide a rich, diverse, stimulating and nurturing community.

Parents who are searching for a quality private school experience for their children should consider this; books, articles and studies have been recently published which compare the outcomes of middle school children very similar in many respects except for one, Montessori education vs. Traditional education. Minhaly Csikszentmihalyi and Kevin Rathunde, University of Utah in 2003, focused on these two groups and reached the following conclusions:

Montessori educated children were much more likely to show high levels of intrinsic motivation.

Montessori educated children were much more likely to engage in periods of deep concentration.

Montessori children were much more likely to identify their teachers as supportive, fair and interested in them as people.

Montessori children were much more likely to identify their classmates as friends.

Montessori children were generally accepted to be academically more advanced, but the social and intangible outcomes were both unexpected and important. The research showed that Montessori adolescents have a deep and satisfying community life that increases, as they get older. They feel that they are learning with friends. The students reported a stronger sense of psychological and emotional safety, they felt safe from the emotional pain associated with putdowns from teachers and other students and they were much more positive about the quality of their school community.

In a discussion of “flow” and “style of engagement”, the relevance to lifelong learning becomes apparent. The Montessori children, because of their greater interest level; higher intrinsic motivation and strong investment in their work were able to show greater persistence when faced with challenges and a stronger feeling of pleasure and enjoyment of task solution. Montessori children had a strong sense of being actively involved in learning and enjoying learning. Further it can be speculated that Montessori adolescents will look forward to their careers and social interactions as a part of their service to society and the world.

We at Maple Tree Montessori Academy are proud to be a continuing part of Dr. Maria Montessori’s legacy to the children of the world. We invite you to visit, we invite your questions and we invite your research into her work and ours.

Lower Elementary

The Lower Elementary classroom is composed of students between the ages of 6 – 9 years. These students, in Maria Montessori’s second plane of development, often do group research projects and continue to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. The Great Lessons, Time lines, concrete materials for Math, Grammar, Geography and Science all inspire continued academic growth and increased proficiency in basic areas. This lays a strong and comprehensive foundation for later, more abstract concepts and learning. The child is developing an increased moral and social awareness, they seek true justice and so they play a very active part in the rule making and structure of the classroom. They begin to become socially aware and often organize fundraisers and early level community projects. Art, Music, Yoga, Cooking and Physical Education are incorporated into a holistic approach to curriculum. Spanish instruction is 3 days a week and done in small group and large group sessions, vocabulary increases and writing begins. The child discovers and relishes the experiences available in this new, expanding environment.